Coronavirus: Hong Kong drops on-arrival PCR tests and vaccine pass, city set to reopen its border with mainland China on January 10 at the earliest

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Hong Kong will drop almost all Covid-19 measures starting from Thursday, including mandatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for arrivals, its vaccine pass scheme and quarantine requirements for close contacts, following similar action by mainland China.

In a related development, the Post learned on Wednesday that Hong Kong is set to reopen its border with the mainland on January 10 at the earliest, with those travelling to the city for business and family needs to be given priority.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu reiterated on Wednesday his aim to fully resume cross-border travel progressively and in an orderly manner starting from mid-January.

Travellers in Hong Kong wait to cross the border to enter mainland China. Photo: Sam Tsang
Travellers in Hong Kong wait to cross the border to enter mainland China. Photo: Sam Tsang

From Thursday, the city will become one of the last places in the world to do away with pandemic restrictions.

Confirming the Post’s earlier reports, the government announced that it would lift most of the Covid-19 measures imposed in the past three years, but a mandate requiring the wearing of masks would remain.

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